Fiona Mackay

Professor of Politics

F.S.Mackay@ed.ac.uk

https://twitter.com/@genderpol/

Room 3.18

18 Buccleuch Place

Edinburgh

EH8 9LN

Research interests

British politics research Gender Politics Research Group Identities & Inequalities

Research interests include: gender and political representation, feminist institutionalism, gender and institutional change, gender and public policy.

Fiona currently directs an internally-focused project Integrating Gender Equality into GCRF Funding Bids and Projects (with Dr Rosalind Cavaghan as lead researcher) under auspices of genderED (funded by SFC/University of Edinburgh IDRH). A suite of resources including a new tool and guidance has been prepared to support UoE researchers and their global research partners to plan and deliver gender sensitive research for development.

In 2021, Fiona began a new AHRC funded project (led by Professor Louise Jackson, HCA, Edinburgh; with co-investigators from UCL and UWE) entitled Gender Equalities at Work: An Interdisciplinary history of Fifty Years of Legislation. It is the first comprehensive longitudinal study(from 1960s to present) of the creation, trajectories, legacies and lived experiences of the Equal Pay Act (1970) and Sex Discrimination Act (1975) (now integrated in the Equality Act 2010) across the four nations of the UK.

Fiona was part of the UGC-UKIERI funded project Teaching Feminisms, Transforming Lives: Questions of Identity, Pedagogy and Violence in India and the UK, led by Dr Radhika Govinda (University of Edinburgh) which ran from 2017-2020; the DfID funded programme Political Settlements, led by Professor Christine Bell and the Global Justice Academy (University of Edinburgh) (2015-18); and the European Research Council funded programme, Understanding Institutional Change: A Gender Perspective, led by Professor Georgina Waylen (University of Manchester, ended 2017).

With colleagues at the Australian Human Rights Institute (UNSW) and Ambedkar University Delhi, Fiona co-curates the annual 16 Days Blogathon to raise awareness of the global 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (November 25- December 10).

Topics interested in supervising

I welcome proposals on most topics in the fields of women & politics, and gender and political institutions. I am particularly interested in the gendering effects of political institutions, gender and institutional innovation (such as quotas, gender mainstreaming, "gender-equal" constitutions etc) at global, national and local levels; women's political representation, and gender and devolution in the UK.

If you are interested in being supervised by Fiona Mackay, please see the links below for more information:

Background

My Edinburgh Research Explorer listing

Qualifications

BA (Hons) Politics and Modern History (University of Manchester)
PhD Politics (University of Edinburgh)

Current Teaching

Fiona usually teaches in the broad areas of feminist politics, Scottish and British politics, global politics, and approaches to the study of politics. She is not teaching in 2022-23.

Claire Duncanson, Meryl Kenny and Fiona Mackay won the UK Political Studies Association Innovation in Teaching Politics (Group) Award 2018 for their collaborative work on teaching gender politics over a decade. Meryl Kenny and Fiona Mackay won Best Course and were runner-ups in the Innovative Assessment category for their course SPS in Practice in the 2015-16 EUSA Teaching Awards.

Publications

Books and Edited Collections

R. Govinda, F. Mackay, K. Menon and R. Sen (eds) (2020) Doing Feminisms in the Academy: Identity, Institutional Pedagogy and Critical Classrooms in India and the UK, New Delhi and Chicago: Zubaan Publications and The University of Chicago Press.

M.L. Krook and F. Mackay (eds) (2011/15) Gender, Politics, and Institutions: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism, Houndsmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Praise for Gender, Politics, and Institutions

This superb book is one of those rare collections that moves a field forward --Mary Fainsod Katzenstein, Cornell University.

P.Chaney, F. Mackay and L. McAllister (2007) Politics and Constitutional Change: the first years of the National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

E.Breitenbach, A. Brown, F. Mackay and J. Webb (eds) (2002) The Changing Politics of Gender Equality in Britain, Houndsmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

F. Mackay (2001) Love and Politics: Women Politicians and the Ethics of Care, London: Continuum (* Awarded CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title in 2002).

E.Breitenbach and F. Mackay (eds) (2001) Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics: An Anthology, Edinburgh: Polygon.

Recent articles and book chapters

F. Mackay (2021) ‘ Dilemmas of an academic feminist as manager in the neoliberal academy: negotiating institutional authority, oppositional knowledge and change’, Political Studies Review 19 (1) [Open Access] https://doi.org/10.1177/1478929920958306

L. Chappell and F. Mackay (2021) 'Feminist critical friends: dilemmas of feminist engagement with governance and gender reform agendas', European Journal of Politics and Gender 4(3) https://doi.org/10.1332/251510820X15922354996155

M. Kenny and F. Mackay (2020) 'Women, Gender and Politics in Scotland', in. M. Keating and C.McAngus (eds) Oxford Handbook of Scottish Politics. Oxford University Press.

F. Mackay and C. Murtagh (2019)' New Institutions, New Gender Rules? A Feminist Institutionalist Lens on Women and Power-sharing', Feminists@Law 9 (1) [Open Access] http://journals.kent.ac.uk/index.php/feministsatlaw/article/view/745/1462

L. Chappell and F. Mackay (2017) 'What's in a Name? Mapping the Terrain of Informal Institutions and Gender Politics', in G. Waylen (ed) Gender and Informal Institutions. Rowman Littlefield International, 23-44.

M. Kenny and F. Mackay(2017) 'Feminist and Gender Approaches", in V. Lowndes, D. Marsh and G. Stoker (eds) Theory and Methods in Political Science, 4th Edn. Palgrave Macmillan, 92-108.

PhD Supervision

Fiona is an enthusiastic and experienced supervisor. She is able to offer PhD supervision in most areas relating to gender and politics (international, national and local), gender and public policy, and British and Scottish politics. Fiona particularly welcomes prospective students with interests in feminist and institutionalist approaches to the study of gender and politics, gender and multi-level governance, and in aspects of post-devolution gender politics in UK.

Current PhD supervisees

Tatiana Cary (PhD Social Policy, Chrystal Macmillan Scholarship). Co-supervisor.

Kate Holliday (PhD Politics and IR, ESRC Studentship). Principal Supervisor.

Beatriz Ribeiro (University Nova SCH, Lisbon, FCT scholarship). External co-supervisor.

Fernanda Vilhena (Visiting PhD student, University of Duesto, Bilbao)

Recent doctoral supervisees

'Gender and the Cadre System: Recruitment and the CCP's Central Committees'. Peach Lin ( Visiting PhD student, Xiamen University).

'The Gendered logics of Party Organisation". Nuria Alcaraz (Visiting PhD student, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona)

'No Country for Losers? Gender, (in)equality, and the discursive construction of subjects and values in Polish politics'. Barbara Gaweda (PIR, SPSS studentship) (Awarded 2017).

'Be polite, Be professional, Be prepared to kill': Counterinsurgency, Masculinity and British Military Doctrine. Hilary Cornish (PIR, ESRC studentship) (Awarded 2015).

The Politics of Gender Quotas: What Accounts for the relative success of gender quotas in the first Southern Sudanese Elections? Angelina Mattijo-Bazugba (Social Policy, SPSS scholarship) (Awarded 2014).

The virtues of the self: ethics and the critique of feminist identity politics. Elena Pollot (PIR, ESRC studentship) (Awarded 2013)

'A wheel within a wheel': Adoption and implementation of Gender Budgeting in the sub-state governments of Scotland, Euskadi, and Andalucia. Angela O'Hagen (Glasgow Caledonian University). (Awarded 2013)

Gender Mainstreaming as a knowledge process: towards an understanding of perpetuation and change in gender blindness and gender bias. Rosalind Cavaghan (PIR, ESRC studentship) (awarded 2012). * winner of the European Consortium of Political Research (ECPR) Gender & Politics PhD Award 2013

Gendered Institutional Change in South Africa: The Case of the State Security Sector. Lara de Klerk (African Studies, Commonwealth studentship) (awarded 2011).

Agents and Institutions: Donald Dewar and the Politics of Devolution. Andrew McFadyen (PIR) (awarded 2011).

What happens to the Radical Potential of Gender Mainstreaming? Implementation and Institutionalisation in Gendered Organisations. Amanda Wittman (PIR, SORSAS/HSSS scholarship) (awarded 2010).

Gendering Institutions: The Political Recruitment of Women in Post-Devolution Scotland. Meryl Kenny (PIR, SORSAS/CHSS studentship) (awarded 2009).* winner of the PSA Arthur McDougall Fund Prize 2009 for the best PhD on elections, electoral systems or representation.

Forces for Good? British Military Masculinities on Peace Support Operations. Claire Duncanson (PIR, ESRC studentship) (awarded 2008).

Understanding Democratic Engagement at the Micro-Level: Communication, Participation and Representation. Peter Moug (PIR, ESRC studentship) (awarded 2008).

Mainstreaming equality at the Scottish Executive: the discursive construction of policy. Katherine Bilton (PIR, ESRC studentship) (awarded 2005).

Organising Against a Violent Society: Women's Anti Violence Organisations in Sweden and the UK. Lesley McMillan (Sociology, ESRC studentship) (awarded 2003).

Works within

Politics and International Relations

By appointment. Contact me at f.s.mackay@ed.ac.uk

Publication	Research Explorer link
Jackson LA, Ayada S, Christoffersen A, Conley H, Galt F, Mackay F et al. Campaigning against workplace ‘sexual harassment’ in the UK: Law, discourse and the news press c. 1975 – 2005. Contemporary British History. 2023 Oct 12;1-30. Epub 2023 Oct 12. doi: 10.1080/13619462.2023.2262930	View
Chappell L, Mackay F. Feminist critical friends: Dilemmas of feminist engagement with governance and gender reform agendas. European Journal of Politics and Gender. 2021 Sept;4(3):321 - 340. Epub 2020 Jul 10. doi: 10.1332/251510820X15922354996155	View
Mackay F. Dilemmas of an academic feminist as manager in the neoliberal academy: Negotiating institutional authority, oppositional knowledge and change . Political Studies Review. 2020 Nov 10. Epub 2020 Nov 10. doi: 10.1177/1478929920958306	View
Govinda R, (ed.), Mackay F, (ed.), Menon K, (ed.), Sen R, (ed.). Doing Feminisms in the Academy: Identity, Institutional Pedagogy and Critical Classrooms in India and the UK. New Delhi: Zubaan Books, 2020. 330 p. Epub 2020 Sept 22.	View
Kenny M, Mackay F. Women, gender and politics in Scotland. In Keating M, editor, The Oxford Handbook of Scottish Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2020. p. 59-77 doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198825098.013.4	View
Mackay F, Cera M. New Institutions, New Gender Rules? A Feminist Institutionalist Lens on Women and Power-Sharing . feminists@law. 2019 Feb 8;9(1).	View
Kenny M, Mackay F. Feminist and gendered approaches. In Lowndes V, DM, Stoker G, editors, Theory and Methods in Political Science. 4 ed. Basingstoke: Red Globe Press. 2017. p. 92-108. (Political Analysis).	View
Chappell L, Mackay F. What's in a name? Mapping the terrain of informal institutions and gender politics. In Waylen G, editor, Gender and Informal Institutions. Rowman & Littlefield International. 2017. p. 23-44. (Feminist Institutionalist Perspectives).	View
Mackay F. Nested newness, institutional innovation, and the gendered limits of change. Politics & Gender. 2014 Dec 9;10(4):549-571. Epub 2014 Dec 9. doi: 10.1017/S1743923X14000415	View
Mackay F, Waylen G. Introduction: Gendering “New” Institutions. Politics & Gender. 2014 Dec 1;10(4):489-494. doi: 10.1017/S1743923X14000385	View
Kenny M, Mackay F. When Is Contagion Not Very Contagious? Dynamics of Women’s Political Representation in Scotland. Parliamentary Affairs. 2014 Oct;67(4):866-886. Epub 2013 Jan 29. doi: 10.1093/pa/gss109	View
Bell C (Author), Mackay F (Photographer). Why Should Women Care about Constitutional Debates? And Why Aren't Their Voices Being Heard? Gender Politics at Edinburgh Blog. 2013.	View
Mackay F, Rhodes RAW. Gender, Greedy Institutions, and the Departmental Court. Public Administration. 2013 Feb 12;91(3):582-598. Epub 2013 Feb 12. doi: 10.1111/padm.12012	View
Celis K, Mackay F, Meier P. Social Movement Organizations and Changing State Architectures: Comparing Women’s Movement Organizing in Flanders and Scotland. Publius: The Journal of Federalism. 2013 Jan;43(1):44-67. Epub 2012 Jul 24. doi: 10.1093/publius/pjs035	View
Charles N, Mackay F. Feminist politics and framing contests: Domestic Violence Policy in Scotland and Wales. Critical Social Policy. 2013;33(4):593-615. DOI: 10.1177/0261018313483488. doi: 10.1177/0261018313483488	View
Kenny M, Mackay F. Less male, pale and stale? Women and the 2012 Scottish local government elections. Scottish Affairs . 2012 Aug;80(1):20-32. doi: 10.3366/scot.2012.0027	View
Kenny M, Mackay F. In the balance: Women and the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. Scottish Affairs . 2011 Aug;76(1):74-86. doi: 10.3366/scot.2011.0037	View
Kenny M, Mackay F. Gender and devolution in Spain and the United Kingdom. Politics and Gender. 2011 Jun 6;7(2):280-286. doi: 10.1017/S1743923X11000122	View
Krook ML, Mackay F. Introduction: Gender, Politics, and Institutions. In Mackay F, krook ML, editors, Gender, Politics and Institutions: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism. Palgrave Macmillan. 2011. p. 1-20	View
Krook ML, (ed.), Mackay F, (ed.). Gender, Politics and Institutions: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism. Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. 240 p.	View
Mackay F, Kenny M, Chappell L. New Institutionalism Through a Gender Lens: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism? International Political Science Review. 2010 Nov;31(5):573-588. doi: 10.1177/0192512110388788	View
Mackay F. Gendering Constitutional Change and Policy Outcomes: Substantive Representation and Domestic Violence Policy in Scotland. Politics & Policy (P&P). 2010 Jul;38(3):369-388. doi: 10.1332/030557310X521062	View
Mackay F. Conclusion: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism. In Mackay F, Krook ML, editors, Gender, Politics and Instituions: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism. Palgrave Macmillan. 2010. p. 181-196	View
Mackay F, Breitenbach E. Feminist Politics in Scotland from the 1970s to 2000s: Engaging with the Changing State. In Breitenbach E, Thane P, editors, Women and Citizenship in Britain and Ireland in the 20th Century: What Difference did the Vote Make?. Continuum. 2010. p. 153-169	View
Mackay F, Kenny M. Women and Political Representation in Post-Devolution Scotland: 'High Time or High Tide'? In Breitenbach E, Thane P, editors, Women and Citizenship in Britain and Ireland in the 20th Century: What Difference did the Vote Make?. Continuum. 2010. p. 171-188	View
Mackay F. Devolution and the Multilevel Politics of Gender in the UK: The Case of Scotland. In Haussman M, Sawer M, Vickers J, editors, Federalism, Feminism and Multilevel Governance. Ashgate Publishing. 2010. p. 155-170	View
Mackay F. Travelling the Distance? Equal Opportunities and the Scottish Parliament. In Jeffery C, Mitchell J, editors, The Scottish Parliament 1999-2009: The First Decade. Edinburgh: Luath Press. 2009. p. 49-55	View
Mackay F, Kenny M. Already Doin' it for Ourselves? Skeptical Notes on Feminism and Institutionalism. Politics & Gender. 2009;5(2):271-280. doi: 10.1017/S1743923X09000221	View
Mackay F, Waylen G, Monro S. The Feminist Potential of Sociological Institutionalism. Politics & Gender. 2009;5(2):253-262. doi: 10.1017/S1743923X09000208	View
Mackay F. Gender. In Flinders M, Gamble A, Hay C, Kenny M, editors, The Oxford Handbook of British Politics. Oxford University Press. 2009. p. 646-663	View
Mackay F, Kenny M. Women's Political Representation and the SNP: Gendered Paradoxes and Puzzles. In Hassan G, editor, The Modern SNP: From Protest to Power. Edinburgh University Press. 2009. p. 42-54	View
Mackay F, Waylen G. Feminist Institutionalism: Critical Perspectives on Gender and Politics. Politics & Gender. 2009;5(2):237-280. doi: 10.1017/S1743923X09000178	View
Mackay F. ‘Thick’ Conceptions of Substantive Representation: Women, Gender and Political Institutions. Representation: Journal of Representative Democracy (JRD). 2008 Jun;44(2):125-139. doi: 10.1080/00344890802079607	View
Mackay F. The State of Women's Movements in Britain: Ambiguity, Complexity and Challenges from the Periphery. In Grey S, Sawer M, editors, Women's Movements: Flourishing or in Abeyance. Routledge. 2008. p. 17-32	View
Chaney P, Mackay F, McAllister L. Women, Politics and Constitutional Change: The First Years of the National Assembly for Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2007. 156 p.	View
Mackay F, Kenny M. Women's Representation in the 2007 Scottish Parliament: Temporary Setback or Return to the Norm? Scottish Affairs. 2007;(60):80-94.	View
Mackay F. Descriptive and Substantive Representation in New Parliamentary Spaces: The Case of Scotland. In Sawer M, Tremblay M, Trimble L, editors, Representing Women in Parliament: A Comparative Study. Routledge. 2006. p. 171-187	View
Mackay F. United Kingdom. In Tremblay M, Galligan Y, editors, Sharing Power: Women, Parliament, Democracy. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing. 2005. p. 107-122	View
Mackay F. Women's Representation in Wales and Scotland. Contemporary Wales. 2005;17(1):140-161.	View
Mackay F. Women and the Labour Party in Scotland. In Hassan G, editor, The Scottish Labour Party: History, Institutions and Ideas. Edinburgh University Press. 2004. p. 104-126	View
Mackay F. Gender and Political Representation in the UK: The State of the 'Discipline'. British Journal of Politics and International Relations. 2004;6(1):99-120. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-856X.2004.00129.x	View
Mackay F. Women and the 2003 Elections: Keeping up the Momentum. Scottish Affairs. 2003;(44):74-90.	View
Mackay F, Myers F, Brown A. Towards a New Politics? Women and the Constitutional Change in Scotland. In Dobrowolsky A, Hart V, editors, Women Making Constitutions: New Politics and Comparative Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. 2003	View
Mackay F. Gender and the Division of Labour. In Shaw M, Martin I, Crowther J, editors, Renewing Democracy in Scotland: An Educational Source Book. National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. 2003. p. 89-92	View
Mackay F, Meehan E, Donaghy TB, Brown A. Women and Constitutional Change in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Australasian Parliamentary Review. 2002;17(2):35-54.	View
Mackay F, Russell M, McAllister L. Women's Representation in the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales: Party Dynamics for Achieving Critical Mass. The Journal of Legislative Studies. 2002;8(2):49-76. doi: 10.1080/714003911	View
Mackay F, Brown A, Donaghy TB, Meehan E. Women and Constitutional Change in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Parliamentary Affairs. 2002;55(1):71-84. doi: 10.1093/parlij/55.1.71	View
Breitenbach E, (ed.), Brown A, (ed.), Mackay F, (ed.), Webb J, (ed.). The Changing Politics of Gender Equality in Britain. 1 ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2001. 240 p.	View
Breitenbach E, Brown A, Mackay F, Webb J. Introduction: The changing politics of gender equality. In Breitenbach E, Brown A, Mackay F, Webb J, editors, The Changing Politics of Gender Equality. 1 ed. Palgrave Macmillan. 2001. p. 1-19 doi: 10.1057/9780230522572	View
Mackay F. Love and Politics: Women Politicians and the Ethics of Care. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd, 2001. 224 p.	View
Mackay F, Breitenbach E, Brown A, Webb J. Introduction: The Changing Politics of Gender Equality. In Breitenbach E, Brown A, Mackay F, editors, The Changing Politics of Gender Equality. Palgrave Macmillan. 2001. p. 1-19	View
Mackay F, Breitenbach E. Introduction: Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics. In Mackay F, Breitenbach E, editors, Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics: An Anthology. Polygon at Edinburgh. 2001. p. 1-24	View
Breitenbach E, (ed.), Mackay F, (ed.). Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics: An Anthology. Polygon at Edinburgh, 2001. 320 p.	View
Mackay F, Breitenbach E. Keeping Gender on the Agenda: The Role of Women's and Equal Opportunities Initiatives in Local Government in Scotland. In Mackay F, Breitenbach E, editors, Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics: An Anthology. Polygon at Edinburgh. 2001. p. 147-162	View
Mackay F. The Case of Zero Tolerance: Women's Politics in Action? In Mackay F, Breitenbach E, editors, Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics: An Anthology. Polygon at Edinburgh. 2001. p. 105-130	View
Mackay F. In a Different Voice? Women Local Politicians and the Vocabulary of Care. Contemporary Politics. 1998;4(3):259-270. doi: 10.1080/13569779808449967	View
Mackay F. The Zero Tolerance Campaign: Setting the Agenda. In Lovenduski J, Norris P, editors, Women in Politics. Oxford University Press. 1996	View
Mackay F. The Zero Tolerance Campaign: Setting the Agenda. Parliamentary Affairs. 1996;49(1):206-220.	View

Fiona Mackay

Job Title

Room number

Street (Address)

City (Address)

Country (Address)

Post code (Address)

Research interests

Research interests

Topics interested in supervising

Background

Qualifications

Recent posts

Current Teaching

Publications

Books and Edited Collections

Recent articles and book chapters

Current PhD supervisees

Works within

Staff Hours and Guidance

Publications by user content